Poetry and Programs at Shepherdstown Library

Here is a selection of events from the Shepherdstown Library for January, 2008.

Poetry Gathering. The library welcomes teens ages 12 to 18 to a poetry gathering on the second floor of the Library Tuesday, January 8 from 4 to 5 pm. Artist/writer/musician Collin Luibl will facilitate the group, and requests that each participant bring a poem. A variety of teas will be available to enjoy during the discussion.

Story of Ferdinand. Munro Leaf's The Story of Ferdinand is a sweet story of a quiet bull that is mistakenly chosen for the bullfights in Madrid when a bee sting causes him to stomp and snort. The Rainbow Company will present Ferdinand on Saturday, January 12 at 10:30 am in the War Memorial Building for ages four and older. Beginning Wednesday, January 2 families may pick up a limited number of free tickets for this performance at the Shepherdstown Library’s Children’s Department, or call the Library at (304) 876-2783 to reserve tickets. (In case of inclement weather, Ferdinand will be presented on Saturday, February 2.)

Register for Spring Programs. Registration for spring 2008 programs for infants through teenagers will run from Monday, Jan. 14 through Saturday, Jan. 19, and programs will begin the week of January 21.

Spanish Anyone? Parents, would you like to expose your children to the Spanish language? On Saturday, January 19 ages five and older are invited to visit the Library’s Children’s Department for a free interactive mini-lesson from 11 am to noon. High school students who are members of the Spanish Honor Society will read children’s stories in Spanish.

Closed of the Holiday. The library will be open on Monday, January 21, and families are invited to borrow children’s books displayed in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists.

 

Charles Town Library Holds Mardi Gras Fundraiser

The Old Charles Town Library and Jefferson County Museum are hosting their second annual Mardi Gras event fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 6 pm to midmight at the Bavarian Inn. All proceeds benefit the operation of these community establishments.

In addition to cocktails and a three-course New Orleans-style dinner, there will be silent and live auctions and dancing until midnight to the Dixieland music of The Music Makers.

The crowning of the new King of Misrule and Queen of Mischief will also take place following the cocktail hour. Current residents vying for the crown are Sue Floyd, Rebecca Sturm, Al Baylor, Dan Rowzie, Judy Marcus and Angie Becher. The Royal Court is comprised of partygoers from last year’s event who found the baby in the King Cake and chose to participate.

Voting for the king and queen is a fund-raiser within a fund-raiser as they are selected by monetary vote (one vote costs $1 and people can vote as often as they like). Votes can be cast at the library or during the cocktail hour at the event.

Tickets to the Mardi Gras party are $100 per person, but for the price, it is promised “you will think you are in New Orleans.” Costumes are optional, but encouraged. Corporate sponsors are also still being sought. Attend the event and be the next one to find the baby in Gambino’s King Cake from New Orleans. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the library at 725-2208 or visit www.mystickrewe.org.

 

Rotarians Distribute Dictionaries in Local Schools

As they have done for the past several years, the Shepherdstown and Charles Town Rotary clubs teamed up in mid November to distribute free dictionaries to all third grade students in Jefferson County. The Shepherdstown Club distributed dictionaries at the C.W. Shipley, North Jefferson, Shepherdstown, and T.A. Lowery elementary schools. The Charles Town Club handled the distribution at the Blue Ridge, Ranson, South Jefferson, and Wright Denny elementary schools.

 

Healthcare Exec Named Fellow

Michael J. Groves, vice president of patient care services at City Hospital in Martinsburg, has advanced to Fellow status in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), an international professional society representing close to 30,000 healthcare executives. The announcement was made at the ACHE’s Convocation ceremony, held during the organization’s annual Congress on Healthcare Management. Fellow status is the highest level of professional achievement in ACHE.

Groves, who began his healthcare career in 1978, holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University in New Jersey and a Master of General Administration from the University of Maryland University College in College Park. He is currently a doctoral candidate in nursing from Texas Woman’s University in Houston, Texas.

In 2004, Groves joined City Hospital as the chief nursing officer bringing more than 20 years of healthcare experience in a variety of clinical settings.  Following the merger in January 2005 with WVU Hospitals in Morgantown, Groves was named the vice president of patient care services for City Hospital.

 

Shepherd University Students Complete Service Learning Projects

Shepherd University historic preservation students have partnered with the Christ Reformed Church/United Church of Christ in Shepherdstown to complete their service learning projects. They have been cleaning gravestones, assisting in the preparation and preservation of church records, and researching the history of the church. They will present their work at a congregational meeting on Sunday, December 9.

“The service learning partnership with the church offers a number of possibilities for students to build on what they have learned in class,” said Dr. Keith Alexander, coordinator of the Historic Preservation Program. “By preserving graveyards, conserving records, and performing historical research, students experience  some of the things that historic preservation professionals will do out in the field.”

Cleaning the gravestones is important for several reasons. Vandalism, a major cause of the loss of the historical and cultural record represented by gravestones, is much lower in cemeteries that look cared for. Proper cleaning of gravestones can also help slow down the deterioration process caused by pollution and biological growth. “The students have been a delight to work with and have been a big help,” said Jill Black, president of the church’s governing board. “The information the students gathered on the gravestones will be entered into a database and would have taken us months and months to do on our own.”

Shepherd students have participated in a variety of service learning projects in the past. Every semester about 100 education students provide 10 hours of volunteer tutoring for the Harpers Ferry Job Corps. Technical editing students have also provided volunteer hours and marketing materials to the Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department, and English students have read their own versions of world literature to local schoolchildren.

“Service learning is a unique way for students to benefit the community while gaining hands-on experience,” says Holly Frye, director of  student community service and service learning. Next semester, historic preservation  students will undertake another graveyard preservation project through service learning. Students will partner with descendants of Thomas Shepherd and will work to preserve, map, and research the Shepherd family cemetery on New Street in Shepherdstown.

 

Shepherd Gets Computer Engineering Degree

The Higher Education Policy Commission has approved a four-year computer engineering degree program at Shepherd University. The new program will emphasize the theory and applications of modern day computer science and engineering.

In the new degree program, students will get training in the software and hardware aspects of computer engineering and direct contact with industrial partners. Ten faculty members from a number of departments will be involved in the program.

The push toward research has been a significant factor in the development of the department. Shepherd also hosts the Shepherd Open Mathematics Contest as a vehicle to encourage high school students in the area to elevate their interests in pursuing an undergraduate degree in mathematics.